India's top culinary reality show MasterChef India Season 8 has found its winner. Premiered exclusively on SonyLIV, Mohammed Aashiq, a 24-year-old south Indian city of Manglauru has been adjudged as the champion.
The other contestants who were in the race to win the coveted MasterChef golden coat included Suraj Thapa, Rukhsaar Sayeed, and Nambie Jessica Marak.
Managluru boy
A food enthusiast, Aashiq hails from the coastal city of Mangaluru in Karnataka. With dreams of becoming a chef, Aashiq opened a small juice shop in his hometown called Kulukki Hub. The sole breadwinner for his family, Aashiq auditioned in the previous season of MasterChef India but got through the show only this season with his audition recipe, Fish Fry Mangalurean style.
Toughest challenge
In an interview with NewsBytes in November, Aashiq recalled one of the toughest challenges he faced in the MasterChef kitchen. A savory chef, Aashiq had trouble replicating Chef Pooja Dhingra's macaroons for an immunity pin challenge. "It might appear to be simple, but it was very tricky. There were so many technical challenges that I had to cope with during the baking process."
Audition round
The decision over his audition dish was kept on hold by Chefs Vikas Khanna and Ranveer Brar over its portion size. The pending decision was the biggest learning for Aashiq in the kitchen.
"It was that very day when they taught me what the exact portion and proportion of a dish should be while serving on the plate," he said.
Mangaluean recipes
Whether it was the Fish Fry Magalorean Style or the Crispy Paradise, Aashiq's food inspiration has mostly been a reflection of his Mangalorean upbringing. "Presenting Manglurean dishes in a global way is what I aim to do. My attempt is to give the local food an international face since it is often underestimated," he had said in an interview.
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